Nasarawa varsity rusticates student over WhatsApp post condemning 3rd semester charges

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Nasarawa varsity rusticates student over WhatsApp post condemning 3rd semester charges

A student of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, NSUK, has claimed that his only offense leading to rustication was posting “This is injustice and inhuman treatment” in a WhatsApp group in reaction to the recently introduced third semester charges.

Expressing shock over the punishment, the student revealed that he, along with others, was first detained at a police station for three days before facing the Students’ Disciplinary Committee.

“The school management locked us up in the police station for three days. That alone should have been enough, but they still went ahead and suspended us for one year,” he lamented.

The controversy stems from the university management’s introduction of a third-semester program, with a charge of N20,000 per course, under the leadership of Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman.

Though the program was optional, the fee structure attracted nationwide backlash.

In response to the economic hardship affecting students, some student leaders began mobilizing for a protest after failed appeals for a downward review of the charges.

A WhatsApp group was created to organize the movement; however, private messages from the group were leaked to the university management by some students.

As a result, the affected students, Shekwogaza and one other were accused of criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance of public peace and cyberstalking via a WhatsApp group created to organize a protest against the management of the University over the commencement of third semester.

A letter dated December 9, 2024, signed by the University’s registrar, Mr. Bala I. Ahmed, confirmed that the students had been rusticated for a full academic session and would only be allowed to resume in the first semester of the 2025/26 session.

During the period of rustication, the students have been advised to stay away from university premises unless granted written authorization.